Hierarchically porous nitrogen-doped carbon as cathode for lithium–sulfur batteries

Porous nitrogen-doped carbon is an especially promising material energy storage due to its excellentconductivity, stable physicochemical properties, easy processability, controllable porosity and low price.Herein, we reported a novel well-designed hierarchically porous nitrogen-doped carbon （HPNC） via acombination of salt template （ZnC12） and hard template （SiO2） as sulfur host for lithium-sulfur batter-ies. The low-melting ZnC12 is boiled off and leaves behind micropores and small size mesopores duringpyrolysis process, while the silica spheres are removed by acid leaching to generate interconnected 3Dnetwork of macropores. The HPNC-S electrode exhibits an initial specific capacity of 1355 mAh g^-l at 0.IC （IC= 1675 mAh g^-1 ）, a high-rate capability of 623 mAh g-l at 2 C, and a small decay of 0.13% per cycleover 300 cycles at 0.2 C. This excellent rate capability and remarkable long-term cyclability of the HPNC-Selectrode are attributed to its hierarchical porous structures for confining the soluble lithium polysulfideas well as the nitrogen doping for high absorbability of lithium polysulfide.

Nitrogen-doped hierarchical porous carbon from polyaniline/silica self-aggregates for supercapacitor

In this paper, nitrogen-doped hierarchical porous carbon(N-HPC) was prepared from polyaniline(PANI)/silica self-aggregates. H-bonding between N\\H groups in aniline/PANI and \\OH groups in nano silica template led to a self-assembly type, which enabled the formation of uniform N-HPC nanoparticles. Silica self-aggregates provided macroporous channels resulted in a decreased diffusion distance. After removing the hard template,the N-HPC had a high surface area(899 m^2·g^(-1)). Owing to two co-existed synergetic energy-storage mechanisms and the hierarchical porous structure, the obtained N-HPC exhibited a high specific capacitance of 218.75 F·g^(-1) at 0.5 A·g^(-1), compared with the nonporous nitrogen-doped carbon(N-C) derived from pure PANI. Moreover, the N-HPC electrode demonstrated excellent cycle life, retaining 99% of its initial specific capacitance after 1000 cycles.

Nitrogen-doped hierarchically porous carbon spheres for low concentration CO_(2) capture

Synthesis of spherical carbon beads with effective CO_2 capture capability is highly desirable for large scale application of CO2 sorption, but remains challenging. Herein, a facile and efficient strategy to prepare nitrogen-doped hierarchically porous carbon spheres was developed via co-pyrolyzation of poly(vinylidene chloride) and melamine in alginate gel beads. In this approach, melamine not only serves as the nitrogen precursor, but also acts as a template for the macropores structures. The nitrogen contents in the hierarchically porous carbon spheres reach a high level, ranging from 11.8 wt% to 14.7 wt%, as the melamine amount increases. Owing to the enriched nitrogen functionalities and the special hierarchical porous structure, the carbon spheres exhibit an outstanding CO_2 capture performance, with the dynamic capacity of as much as about 7 wt% and a separation factor about 49 at 25 °C in a gas mixture of CO_2/N_2(0.5:99.5, v/v).

Nitrogen-doped hierarchical few-layered porous carbon for efficient electrochemical energy storage

Large surface area,high conductivity,and rich active site of carbon electrode materials are necessary characteristics for energy storage devices.However,high conductivity and high nitrogen doping of carbon electrode materials are difficult to coordinate.Here,a facile method via the carbonization of nitrogen-containing Schiff base polymer has been developed to prepare high conductivity and high nitrogen-doped hierarchical porous carbon.The organic components with a benzene ring structure in the polymer promote the formation of more sp^(2)-graphitized carbon,which is beneficial for the improvement of electrical conductivity.Nitrogen-doped hierarchical porous carbon calcined at 900℃ under the NH3 atmosphere possesses high nitrogen content of 7.48 at%,a large specific surface area of 1613.2m2/g,and high electrical conductivity of 2.7 S/cm.As electrode materials in an aqueous-based supercapacitor,nitrogen-doped hierarchical porous carbon exhibits superior specific capacitance of 385 F/g at 1 A/g as well as excellent rate performance(242 and 215 F/g at a current density of 100 and 200 A/g,respectively).In addition,the specific capacitance of electrode measured in a two-electrode system is 335 F/g at 1 A/g,and the long-term cycling stability can be achieved with more than 94%initial capacitance after 10000 cycles.The constructed symmetric supercapacitor delivers high energy density and high power density.The outstanding electrochemical performances combined with the novel and scalable synthetic approach make the nitrogen‐doped hierarchical porous carbon potential electrode material for electrochemical devices.

Ultra-stable and High-rate Lithium Ion Batteries Based on Metal-organic Framework-derived ln2O3 Nanocrystals/Hierarchically Porous Nitrogen-doped Carbon Anode

Exploring electrode materials with attractive specific capacity and prominent cyclic durability is of the essence for promoting lithium ion batteries(LIBs).In2O3 has shown an extraordinary promise for LIBs with advantageous gravimetric capacity(theoretically 965 mA h g-1) and low working voltage.However,In2O3 still suffers from the inherent weaknesses of metal oxides in practical application,especially low conductivity and incorrigible volume expansion upon the cycling process.Here,we demonstrate the architecture of metal-organic framework(MOF)-derived In2O3 nanocrystals/hierarchically porous nitrogen-doped carbon composite(In2O3/HPNC) for ultra-stable LIBs anode.This hierarchically porous structure(micro/meso/macro-pores) with nitrogen doping not only ensures exceptional mechanical strength and accommodates the volume expansion of In2O3 nanocrystals,but also offers electrons and lithium ions efficient interpenetrating pathways to migrate rapidly during charge/discharge processes.Thus,In2O3/HPNC exhibits excellent cyclic stability with a high specific capacity of 623 mA h g-1 over2000 cycles at 1000 mA g-1,corresponding to an ultra-low specific capacity decay of 0.017% per cycle(the best among the ln203-based anode for LIBs),and outstanding rate performance,suggesting a critical step toward achieving long-life and high-rate LIBs in practical devices.

Nitrogen-doped porous carbon nanosheets as both anode and cathode for advanced potassium-ion hybrid capacitors

Potassium-ion hybrid capacitors(PIHCs)as a burgeoning research hotspot are an ideal replacement for lithium-ion hybrid capacitors(LIHCs).Here,we report nitrogen-doped porous carbon nanosheets(NPCNs)with enlarged interlayer spacing,abundant defects,and favorable mesoporous structures.The structural changes of NPCNs in potassiation and depotassiation processes are analyzed by using Raman spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy.Due to the unique structure of NPCNs,the PIHC device assembled using NPCNs as both the anode and cathode material(double-functional self-matching material)exhibits a superior energy density of 128 Wh kg^(-1)with a capacity retention of 90.8%after 9000 cycles.This research can promote the development of double-functional self-matching materials for hybrid energy storage devices with ultra-high performance.

Hierarchically porous Co@N-doped carbon fiber assembled by MOF-derived hollow polyhedrons enables effective electronic/mass transport:An advanced 1D oxygen reduction catalyst for Zn-air battery

Developing advanced oxygen reduction reaction(ORR)electrocatalysts with rapid mass/electron transport as well as conducting relevant kinetics investigations is essential for energy technologies,but both still face ongoing challenges.Herein,a facile approach was reported for achieving the highly dispersed Co nanoparticles anchored hierarchically porous N-doped carbon fibers(Co@N-HPCFs),which were assembled by core-shell MOFs-derived hollow polyhedrons.Notably,the unique one-dimensional(1D)carbon fibers with hierarchical porosity can effectively improve the exposure of active sites and facilitate the electron transfer and mass transfer,resulting in the enhanced reaction kinetics.As a result,the ORR performance of the optimal Co@N-HPCF catalysts remarkably outperforms that of commercial Pt/C in alkaline solution,reaching a limited diffusion current density(J)of 5.85 m A cm^(-2)and a half-wave potential(E_(1/2))of 0.831 V.Particularly,the prepared Co@N-HPCF catalysts can be used as an excellent air-cathode for liquid/solid-state Zn-air batteries,exhibiting great potentiality in portable/wearable energy devices.Furthermore,the reaction kinetic during ORR process is deeply explored by finite element simulation,so as to intuitively grasp the kinetic control region,diffusion control region,and mixing control region of the ORR process,and accurately obtain the relevant kinetic parameters.This work offers an effective strategy and a reliable theoretical basis for the engineering of first-class ORR electrocatalysts with fast electronic/mass transport.

Tailoring the Porous Structure of Mono-dispersed Hierarchically Nitrogen-doped Carbon Spheres for Highly Efficient Oxygen Reduction Reaction

The search for a low-cost metal-free cathode material with excellent mass transfer structure and catalytic activity in oxygen reduction reaction(ORR)is one of the most challenging issues in fuel cells.In this work,nitrogen-rich mphenylenediamine is introduced into the synthesis of porous carbon spheres to tune the pore structure and nitrogen-doped active sites.As a result,more pyridinic N and pyrrolic N functional species were observed at the interior and surface of the carbon spheres.The introduction of m-phenylenediamine also regulated the nucleating of precursors,an urchin-like mesoporous surface structure ensures point contact and less agglomeration between each particle was obtained.With optimized proportion of micropores/mesopores and improved nitrogen-contained functional species,the ORR activity can be remarkably improved.The half-wave potential of this catalyst could achieve to 0.81 V(versus RHE)which is only 42 m V lower than commercial Pt/C catalyst.Furthermore,the optimized cathode catalyst achieved a 69 m W cm-2 maximum power density when operated in direct methanol fuel cells at room temperature.

PtZn nanoparticles supported on porous nitrogen-doped carbon nanofibers as highly stable electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction

The oxygen reduction reaction(ORR)electrocatalytic activity of Pt-based catalysts can be significantly improved by supporting Pt and its alloy nanoparticles(NPs)on a porous carbon support with large surface area.However,such catalysts are often obtained by constructing porous carbon support followed by depositing Pt and its alloy NPs inside the pores,in which the migration and agglomeration of Pt NPs are inevitable under harsh operating conditions owing to the relatively weak interaction between NPs and carbon support.Here we develop a facile electrospinning strategy to in-situ prepare small-sized PtZn NPs supported on porous nitrogen-doped carbon nanofibers.Electrochemical results demonstrate that the as-prepared PtZn alloy catalyst exhibits excellent initial ORR activity with a half-wave potential(E_(1/2))of 0.911 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode(vs.RHE)and enhanced durability with only decreasing 11 mV after 30,000 potential cycles,compared to a more significant drop of 24 mV in E_(1/2)of Pt/C catalysts(after 10,000 potential cycling).Such a desirable performance is ascribed to the created triple-phase reaction boundary assisted by the evaporation of Zn and strengthened interaction between nanoparticles and the carbon support,inhibiting the migration and aggregation of NPs during the ORR.

Absorption properties and mechanism of lightweight and broadband electromagnetic wave-absorbing porous carbon by the swelling treatment

Bioderived carbon materials have garnered considerable interest in the fields of microwave absorption and shielding due to their reproducibility and environmental friendliness.In this study,KOH was evenly distributed on biomass Tremella using the swelling induction method,leading to the preparation of a three-dimensional network-structured hierarchical porous carbon(HPC)through carbonization.The achieved microwave absorption intensity is robust at-47.34 dB with a thin thickness of 2.1 mm.Notably,the widest effective absorption bandwidth,reaching 7.0 GHz(11–18 GHz),is attained at a matching thickness of 2.2 mm.The exceptional broadband and reflection loss performance are attributed to the 3D porous networks,interface effects,carbon network defects,and dipole relaxation.HPC has outstanding absorption characteristics due to its excellent impedance matching and high attenuation constant.The uniform pore structures considerably optimize the impedance-matching performance of the material,while the abundance of interfaces and defects enhances the dielectric loss,thereby improving the attenuation constant.Furthermore,the impact of carbonization temperature and swelling rate on microwave absorption performance was systematically investigated.This research presents a strategy for preparing absorbing materials using biomass-derived HPC,showcasing considerable potential in the field of electromagnetic wave absorption.

A Novel Hierarchical Porous 3D Structured Vanadium Nitride/Carbon Membranes for High-performance Supercapacitor Negative Electrodes

Transition-metal nitrides exhibit wide potential windows and good electrochemical performance, but usually experience imbalanced practical applications in the energy storage field due to aggregation, poor circulation stability, and complicated syntheses. In this study, a novel and simple multiphase polymeric strategy was developed to fabricate hybrid vanadium nitride/carbon(VN/C) membranes for supercapacitor negative electrodes, in which VN nanoparticles were uniformly distributed in the hierarchical porous carbon 3D networks. The supercapacitor negative electrode based on VN/C membranes exhibited a high specific capacitance of 392.0 F g^(-1) at 0.5 A g^(-1) and an excellent rate capability with capacitance retention of 50.5% at 30 A g^(-1). For the asymmetric device fabricated using Ni(OH)_2//VN/C membranes, a high energy density of 43.0 Wh kg^(-1) at a power density of800 W kg^(-1) was observed. Moreover, the device also showed good cycling stability of 82.9% at a current density of 1.0 A g^(-1) after 8000 cycles. This work may throw a light on simply the fabrication of other high-performance transition-metal nitridebased supercapacitor or other energy storage devices.

Novel Ag@Nitrogen-doped Porous Carbon Composite with High Electrochemical Performance as Anode Materials for Lithium-ion Batteries

A novel Ag@nitrogen-doped porous carbon(Ag-NPC) composite was synthesized via a facile hydrothermal method and applied as an anode material in lithium-ion batteries(LIBs). Using this method, Ag nanoparticles(Ag NPs) were embedded in NPC through thermal decomposition of Ag NO_3 in the pores of NPC. The reversible capacity of Ag-NPC remained at 852 m Ah g^(-1)after 200 cycles at a current density of 0.1 A g^(-1), showing its remarkable cycling stability. The enhancement of the electrochemical properties such as cycling performance,reversible capacity and rate performance of Ag-NPC compared to the NPC contributed to the synergistic effects between Ag NPs and NPC.

Controllable synthesis of nitrogen-doped porous carbon from metal-polluted miscanthus waste boosting for supercapacitors

High-value reclamation of metal-polluted plants involved in phytoremediation is a big challenge.In this study,nitrogen-doped nanoporous carbon with large specific area of 2359.1 m^(2)g^(-1) is facilely fabricated from metal-polluted miscanthus waste for efficient energy storage.The synergistic effect of KOH,urea and ammonia solution greatly improve the nitrogen quantity and surface area of the synthesized carbon.Electrodes fabricated with this carbon exhibit the excellent capacitance performance of 340.2 F g^(-1) at 0.5 A g^(-1) and a low combined resistance of 0.116Ω,which are competitive with most of previously reported carbon-based electrodes.In addition,the as-obtained carbon electrode shows a high specific capacitance retention of over 99.6%even after 5000 cycles.Furthermore,the symmetric supercapacitor fabricated using the synthesized carbon achieves a superior energy density of 25.3 Wh kg^(-1)(at 400 W kg^(-1))in 1 mol L^(-1) Na_(2)SO_(4)aqueous solution.This work provides an efficient route to upcycle metal-polluted plant waste for supercapacitor applications.

Lignin derived hierarchical porous carbon with extremely suppressed polyselenide shuttling for high-capacity and long-cycle-life lithium-selenium batteries

Lithium-selenium(Li-Se)batteries have attracted considerable attentions for next-generation energy storage systems owing to high volumetric capacity of 3265 m Ah cm^(-3) and excellent electronic conductivity(~10^(-5)S cm^(-1))of selenium.However,the shuttling effect and capacity fading prevent their wide applications.Herein we report a low-cost strategy for scalable fabrication of lignin derived hierarchical porous carbon(LHPC)as a new high-loading Se host for high-capacity and long-term cycling Li-Se batteries in carbonate electrolyte.The resulting LHPC exhibits three-dimensional(3D)hierarchically porous structure,high specific surface area of 1696 m^(2) g^(-1),and hetero-atom doping(O,S),which can effectively confine the Se particles into the micropores,and meanwhile,offer effective chemical binding sites for selenides from hetero-atoms(O,S).As a result,our Li-Se batteries based on Se@LHPC demonstrate high capacity of 450 m Ah g^(-1) at 0.5 C after 500 cycles,with a low capacity fading rate of only 0.027%.The theoretical simulation confirmed the strong affinity of selenides on the O and S sites of LHPC effectively mitigating the Se losing.Therefore,our strategy of using lignin as the low-cost precursor of hierarchically porous carbon for high-loading Se host offers new opportunities for high-capacity and long-life Li-Se batteries.

Status and perspectives of hierarchical porous carbon materials in terms of high-performance lithium-sulfur batteries

Lithium-sulfur(Li-S)batteries,although a promising candidate of next-generation energy storage devices,are hindered by some bottlenecks in their roadmap toward commercialization.The key challenges include solving the issues such as low utilization of active materials,poor cyclic stability,poor rate performance,and unsatisfactory Coulombic efficiency due to the inherent poor electrical and ionic conductivity of sulfur and its discharged products(e.g.,Li2S2 and Li_(2)S),dissolution and migration of polysulfide ions in the electrolyte,unstable solid electrolyte interphase and dendritic growth on an odes,and volume change in both cathodes and anodes.Owing to the high specific surface area,pore volume,low density,good chemical stability,and particularly multimodal pore sizes,hierarchical porous carbon(HPC)mate rials have received considerable attention for circumventing the above pro blems in Li-S batteries.Herein,recent progress made in the synthetic methods and deployment of HPC materials for various components including sulfur cathodes,separators and interlayers,and lithium anodes in Li-S batteries is presented and summarized.More importantly,the correlation between the structures(pore volume,specific surface area,degree of pores,and heteroatom-doping)of HPC and the electrochemical performances of Li-S batteries is elaborated.Finally,a discussion on the challenges and future perspectives associated with HPCs for Li-S batteries is provided.

Nitrogen-rich hierarchically porous carbon foams as high-performance electrodes for lithium-based dual-ion capacitor

Nitrogen-rich porous carbonaceous materials have shown great potential in energy storage and conversion applications due to their facile fabrication,high electronic conductivity,and improved hydrophilic property.Herein,three-dimensional porous N-rich carbon foams are fabricated through a one-step carbonization-activation method of the commercial melamine foam,and displaying hierarchically porous structure(macro-,meso-,and micro-pores),large surface area(1686.5 m2 g^-1),high N-containing level(3.3 at%),and excellent compressibility.The as-prepared carbon foams as electrodes for quasi-solid-state supercapacitors exhibit enhanced energy storage ability with 210 F g^-1 and 2.48c at 0.1 A g^-1,and150 F g^-1 and 1.77 F cm^-2 at 1 A g^-1,respectively.Moreover,as an electrode for lithium-based dual-ion capacitor,this distinctive porous carbon also delivers remarkable specific capacitance with 143.6 F g^-1 at0.1 A g^-1 and 116.2 F g^-1 at 1 A g^-1.The simple preparation method and the fascinating electrochemical performance endow the N-rich porous carbon foams great prospects as high-performance electrodes for electrochemical energy storage.

Hierarchical porous nitrogen,oxygen,and phosphorus ternary doped hollow biomass carbon spheres for high-speed and long-life potassium storage

Limited lithium resources have promoted the exploration of new battery technologies.Among them,potassium-ion batteries are considered as promising alternatives.At present,commercial graphite and other carbon-based materials have shown good prospects as anodes for potassium-ion batteries.However,the volume expansion and structural collapse caused by periodic K+insertion/extraction have severely restricted further development and application of potassium-ion batteries.A hollow biomass carbon ball(NOP-PB)ternarily doped with N,O,and P was synthesized and used as the negative electrode of a potassium-ion battery.X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy,Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy,and transmission electron microscopy confirmed that the hollow biomass carbon spheres were successfully doped with N,O,and P.Further analysis proved that N,O,and P ternary doping expands the interlayer distance of the graphite surface and introduces more defect sites.DFT calculations simultaneously proved that the K adsorption energy of the doped structure is greatly improved.The solid hollow hierarchical porous structure buffers the volume expansion of the potassium insertion process,maintains the original structure after a long cycle and promotes the transfer of potassium ions and electrons.Therefore,the NOP‐PB negative electrode shows extremely enhanced electrochemical performance,including high specific capacity,excellent long‐term stability,and good rate stability.

A novel one-step reaction sodium-sulfur battery with high areal sulfur loading on hierarchical porous carbon fiber

Room temperature sodium-sulfur(RT Na-S)batteries are gaining extensive attention as attractive alternatives for large-scale energy storage,due to low cost and high abundancy of sodium and sulfur in nature.However,the dilemmas regarding soluble polysulfides(Na_(2)Sn,4<n<8)and the inferior reaction kinetics limit their practical application.To address these issues,we report the activated porous carbon fibers(APCF)with small sulfur molecules(S2-4)confined in ultramicropores,to achieve a reversible single-step reaction in RT Na-S batteries.The mechanism is investigated by the in situ UV/vis spectroscopy,which demonstrates Na2S is the only product during the whole discharge process.Moreover,the hierarchical carbon structure can enhance areal sulfur loading without sacrificing the capacity due to thorough contact between electrolyte and sulfur electrode.As a consequence,the APCF electrode with 38 wt%sulfur(APCF-38S)delivers a high initial reversible specific capacity of 1412 mAh g^(-1) and 10.6mAh cm^(-2)(avg.areal sulfur loading:7.5 mg cm^(-2))at 0.1 C(1C=1675 mA g^(-1)),revealing high degree of sulfur utilization.This study provides a new strategy for the development of high areal capacity RT Na-S batteries.

Anti-aggregation growth and hierarchical porous carbon encapsulation enables the C@VO_(2) cathode with superior storage capability for aqueous zinc-ion batteries

Self-aggregation and sluggish transport kinetics of cathode materials would usually lead to the poor electrochemical performance for aqueous zinc-ion batteries(AZIBs).In this work,we report the construction of C@VO_(2) composite via anti-aggregation growth and hierarchical porous carbon encapsulation.Both of the morphology of composite and pore structure of carbon layer can be regulated by tuning the adding amount of glucose.When acting as cathode applied for AZIBs,the C@VO_(2)-3:3 composite can deliver a high capacity of 281 m Ah g^(-1) at 0.2 A g^(-1).Moreover,such cathode also exhibits a remarkably rate capability and cyclic stability,which can release a specific capacity of 195 m Ah g^(-1) at 5 A g^(-1) with the capacity retention of 95.4%after 1000 cycles.Besides that,the evolution including the crystal structure,valence state and transport kinetics upon cycling were also deeply investigated.In conclusion,benefited from the synergistic effect of anti-aggregation morphology and hierarchical porous carbon encapsulation,the building of such C@VO_(2) composite can be highly expected to enhance the ion accessible site,boost the transport kinetics and thus performing a superior storage performance.Such design concept can be applied for other kinds of electrode materials and accelerating the development of highperformance AZIBs.

Cocoon Silk-Derived, Hierarchically Porous Carbon as Anode for Highly Robust Potassium-Ion Hybrid Capacitors

Potassium-ion hybrid capacitors(KIHCs) have attracted increasing research interest because of the virtues of potassium-ion batteries and supercapacitors.The development of KIHCs is subject to the investigation of applicable K+storage materials which are able to accommodate the relatively large size and high activity of potassium.Here,we report a cocoon silk chemistry strategy to synthesize a hierarchically porous nitrogen-doped carbon(SHPNC).The as-prepared SHPNC with high surface area and rich N-doping not only offers highly efficient channels for the fast transport of electrons and K ions during cycling,but also provides sufficient void space to relieve volume expansion of electrode and improves its stability.Therefore,KIHCs with SHPNC anode and activated carbon cathode afford high energy of 135 Wh kg-1(calculated based on the total mass of anode and cathode),long lifespan,and ultrafast charge/slow discharge performance.This study defines that the KIHCs show great application prospect in the field of high-performance energy storage devices.